Salami Pizza
Fresh Fruit

I love making pizza in the fall when I can still get good tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Pizza with Salami

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, if you make the crust from scratch
35 minutes if you buy the crustI prefer to use paper-thin sliced tomatoes rather than traditional pizza sauce. If you'd prefer sauce, 8oz (250gr) should cover nicely. We get wonderful salami, but pepperoni, chorizo, or other sliced, spicy sausage would be equally delicious.

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust:

2/3 cup warm water, 105 - 115F, hotter will kill the yeast

1 pkg (2 tsp) active dry yeast fast acting if you can get it

1/2 tsp sugar - you need this to 'feed' the yeast

1/2 tsp salt - you need this to 'control' the yeast

1 tbs olive oil

2 cups flour

Topping:

1 onion

1/2 green bell pepper

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp dried oregano use fresh oregano if you have it

2 cloves garlic

3 - 5 tomatoes

8 - 10 slices good salami mine are about 3" in diameter (7.5 cm)

1/2 cup sliced green or black olives

1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded Emmenthal or other 'Swiss' cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit a few minutes to 'proof' - start to look foamy to prove that the yeast is still alive.

If you have a mixer with a dough hook put the yeast and all remaining ingredients in mixer bowl.

Blend with dough hook attachment until well mixed then kneed for an additional 3 minutes.

Cover bowl with cling film or a dish towel and put in a warm place to rise, (75F, 24C) if possible.

If making by hand put yeast in large bowl along with all of the rest of the ingredients minus 1/2 cup flour.

Stir to combine.

Put remaining flour on work surface, add dough and kneed until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. As remaining flour is incorporated dough will become less sticky.

Put dough in a bowl, cover with cling film or a dish towel and put in a warm place to rise, (75F, 24C) if possible.

After dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes, punch down.

Lightly butter a pizza pan or large baking sheet.

Roll dough out with a rolling pin as best you can.

Then put on pan and stretch it to fit, patting it out with your fingers. If it keeps springing back wait a few minutes. Try not to put any holes in the crust.